


Reconcilliation

by Miriadel_theRogue



Series: Mistletoe [4]
Category: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: AU, Christmas fic, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 21:17:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miriadel_theRogue/pseuds/Miriadel_theRogue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following <em>Mistletoe, Warming Up to the Idea,</em> and <em> Letting Things Slide</em>.  What happens when Bing comes to visit Jane over New Year's Eve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reconcilliation

**Author's Note:**

> This is the fourth installment in my _Mistletoe_ series. As with the previous three, this was written a year ago, December 2012. These all take place during the December within _The Lizzie Bennet Diaries_ timeline and are based upon ideas and interpretations I had at the time.

Putting down the skirt of Lydia’s in which she had just sewn a hole shut, Jane wondered if Lizzie had any clothes that needed to be patched up. For over a week, Jane had found every possible project that she could complete inside her room, preferably with the door closed. So far she had rearranged her room, organized her books so they were alphabetical by author, dusted under every figurine, refolded all her clothes, and stitched up every hole in her clothes and Lydia’s. Lydia’s clothes had been quite a project but Jane figured Lizzie’s clothes would take a few minutes like hers had. 

A knock on her door sounded as Jane packed up her sewing kit. She remained silent as she continued. “Jane,” Lizzie said through the door. “I know you’re in there. You haven’t really been anywhere else.” Jane blinked away guilt Lizzie couldn’t even see. Lizzie sighed. “You’re sure you don’t want to come? It could be fun. More fun than helping dad put away his trains, which we all know is the chore of the century. New Year’s parties are always fun.”

“Forget the party,” hollered Lydia. “Think of the sock slides!” Jane smiled despite herself.

There was a loud series of thumps, probably the result of Lydia thundering down the stairs. Lizzie whispered into the door, “Please come Jane. I can’t watch Lydia and hide from people by myself.”

“Lizzie!” Lydia whined in the distance. “Let’s go!”

“I’m coming!” Lizzie shouted back on her way down the stairs. 

Sitting on her bed, Jane listened to the continued fighting of her sisters as they bundled up for the short walk to Netherfield. It would be a fun party and Netherfield was certain to be beautifully decorated. What was she afraid of? 

Jane crossed to the door, unlocked it and moved into the hallway, ready to call out to her sisters. The front door swung shut and the house buzzed with silence. 

Tugging the sleeves of her sweater down so she could grip the edge, Jane stood there awkwardly in the hallway. She bent one foot in so that her shoe flopped on the carpet. Sighing, Jane shook her head and went back into her room. Gathering up the clothes she fixed for Lydia, Jane tiptoed over to her sister’s room and put everything where it belonged. 

What was she afraid of? She had moved to Los Angeles for the chance of seeing Bing and now when he showed up at her house, she suddenly had nothing to say. What could you say when you knew what you should say is how you were hurt but what you want to say is beyond words. 

Jane tread back to her room, slowly closing the door and forgetting to lock it. This was what she wanted: to have a conversation with Bing. So far he had done much more of the talking, not that it was hard; Jane hadn’t said a word. After he and Darcy came to dinner, she felt like her breath came shallow in her chest. Then, when he finally spoke, she ran. 

It didn’t make sense to her, nothing did. She’d had about ten minutes to sort through her feelings unsuccessfully before Bing began pacing outside her door. She’d heard him nervously mumbling to himself before he worked up to knocking. 

She never responded, so Bing continued to answer every question she was unable to voice. 

Bing explained how Darcy had been hesitant about Jane from the beginning, but Bing had argued with his friend over and over again on her behalf. It was only after Caroline voiced similar concerns that Bing accepted their suggestion to spend some time in L.A. Caroline wanted him to sell Netherfield but he couldn’t bear to because he felt like that would be abandoning her completely.

He hadn’t called because at first he had only promised Darcy and Caroline two weeks in Los Angeles. He didn’t call because every time he made to, all he wanted to do was to be back at her side, so he’d put his phone away. By the time the two weeks was up, Bing knew how upset Jane was with him. Caroline brought him the news that Jane had moved to Los Angeles, that they’d run into each other and Jane didn’t want anything to do with them. So Bing had kept a sad but respectful distance per her wishes. 

Bing must have said at least twenty times that all of this was his fault, she hadn’t done anything. He needed to emphasize that all he wanted was to prove his worth to her now because as far as he was concerned hers was never in question. 

All his words were nice, but Jane still, a week later, felt numb with it all. On the surface it made sense, but it didn’t. Every time she thought about it, Jane remembered the plate of forgotten snickerdoodles and it all came flooding back. 

Trying to shake it all away, Jane picked out a large collection of magazine clippings and her decoupage supplies, maybe doing something crafty would keep her mind at ease. She heard the doorbell chime downstairs and wondered with a passing interest who would be calling. 

The knock on her door was a surprise. She almost responded out of habit but her visitor beat her. “Jane,” said Bing Lee from the other side. That clenched feeling caught her heart again. “May I speak with you?” 

He waited a few minutes in case she wanted to respond. “I hoped you’d come to the party. It was Darcy’s idea to have one so I could invite you and you can imagine how much he likes parties.” He laughed softly and Jane enjoyed the smile on her face. “So, I brought the party to you. I’ve got some food, drinks, a couple of party favors and I plan on sticking around until midnight. That way we can start the year on a good foot.” 

From the other side of her door, Bing talked as if they were face to face. He described his entire day including all the errands he ran to get ready for the party, the way they’d decorated Netherfield for both Christmas and New Year’s, and the party itself. After that, he talked through what he was currently doing as a med student. Somewhere around decorations, Jane moved to rest her back against the door so she could hear his voice better. As they continued, Jane slipped down the surface into a happy puddle at the floor. 

“It’s about two minutes to midnight,” said Bing. Jane checked her clock and saw the same. “I just thought I’d see if I could get you to open the door so I could hand you a noise maker. I’ll even give you a New Year’s tiara.”

Jane hesitated, but stood and turned the handle. Bing had a moment of surprise, which quickly turned to unadulterated pleasure. “Hi,” he beamed. Jane blushed and looked at his feet. He’d brought a few pieces of Tupperware, a champagne bottle and two glasses. 

“Here,” Bing said, holding out the sparkly pink tiara and the blue noisemaker. Bravely, he placed the tiara on her head, arranging her hair around it as she bit her lower lip gently. He wrapped her fingers around the noisemaker before bending to pick up his own set. With a snap of the elastic, Bing set a pointed party hat on his head with a stupid smile. Jane let out a hollow laugh. “See, there we go,” Bing said, tucking a finger under her chin to pull it up.

“Oh, wait a second,” he said. Grabbing one of the Tupperware containers, he stood up proudly with just a hint of nervousness. It seemed he was going to take advantage of every moment she gave him. The top of the container popped open with that identifiable sound. Bing peeled the lid away revealing an array of snickerdoodle cookies. 

Jane gasped, covering it with her hand. 

“I made them myself, so I can’t promise they’ll be edible,” said Bing good-naturedly. “But I know they’re important to you, so I gave it a try.”

She reached into the plastic box and took one, nibbling it for a taste. “It’s delicious.”

“There’s my Jane,” Bing approved.

The grandfather clock downstairs chimed midnight. They both looked down the stairs before meeting eyes again. “Happy New Year, Jane.” Bing leaned in and kissed her cheek.

Jane rubbed the heat from where his lips touched her skin. “Happy New Year.” She took a bite from her cookie, smiling with enjoyment. 

“Does that mean I’m forgiven?” he tried pleasantly.

Jane giggled as only Bing could make her. “I think you owe me much more of an apology than a few cookies.”

Bing wrapped his arms around her waist and Jane happily allowed herself to be pulled close. “I’ll eat a thousand cookies if that’ll make you happy.”

“You’d do that?” she teased. “For me?”

“I’d suffer much worse for you, and I want to spend every day for this year proving that to you. This year and the next and the next years after that.”

“How kind of you,” Jane sighed. She tightened her arms around his neck, snuggling against him as he rubbed her back. “Bing, about what happened…”

“I’ll do whatever you want, honestly. I’ll eat cookies, I’ll drive you places, comment on your job, talk to your friends, spend time with your family. I want to talk to you every day because it’s the absolute worst not to or not see your smile and brilliant eyes. And since you only have those eighty or so years left…” He paused as Jane ran her hand over his jawline. “I’d like to spend as many minutes of that time as possible with you.”

“I’d like that too,” she said finally. Bing leaned in for a kiss and Jane filled his mouth with the cookie still in her hand. Bing smiled as he chewed. Jane pulled away so she could gather up the champagne and glasses. “Come inside and we’ll just talk for a while,” she invited. Bing grabbed the rest of the Tupperware to bring inside. They sat on Jane’s bed, sipping champagne, talking through everything they could think of, and sharing snickerdoodles. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Stef, for editing this on a tight schedule even with the holidays coming up. 
> 
> And thank you to everyone who came in expecting more Lizzie and Darcy story, but still enjoyed Jane and Bing. There _may_ be more Lizzie/Darcy story that I wrote months after these original four installments, but that's a surprise for another day.


End file.
